Budget battles keep states from tackling reforms

FILE - This June 15, 2009 file photo shows motorists passing by an alleged brothel in Warwick, R.I. In the frenzied rush after Rhode Island's budget passed in late June, state lawmakers were unable to agree on a compromise to close a 30-year-old legal loophole that permits prostitution so long as it happens indoors because many cash-strapped states have simply run out of time to do anything other than writing and passing state budgets. (AP Photo/Stew Milne, file)
— AP

FILE - This June 15, 2009 file photo shows motorists passing by an alleged brothel in Warwick, R.I. In the frenzied rush after Rhode Island's budget passed in late June, state lawmakers were unable to agree on a compromise to close a 30-year-old legal loophole that permits prostitution so long as it happens indoors because many cash-strapped states have simply run out of time to do anything other than writing and passing state budgets. (AP Photo/Stew Milne, file)
/ AP

Education reform efforts died in several states. In New Mexico, a proposed overhaul that came with a $400 million price tag failed. Minnesota Democrats had hoped to revamp school funding with a $1 billion-plus plan to increase state spending on schools and cut property taxes. That was left undone, as were Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposals to spend more on schools through pay-for-performance programs.

There were plenty of other reform efforts that fell victim to the simple economics of dwindling state incomes. Indiana's Gov. Mitch Daniels' plans to expand two maximum security prisons to meet a growing demand for bed space and expand full-day kindergarten to more schools were lost during that state's special session budget negotiations.

Kansas' budget problems prevented the state from keeping a promise to its schools to continue increasing their aid, a commitment it made to end a successful education funding lawsuit in 2006. The state had pledged to increase that aid by some $165 million for the 2009-10 school year, but that has now been cut by about $163 million, or $215 per pupil. That's inspired talk of more litigation.

In Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle had to give up one of his signature programs: $30 million in grants benefiting businesses researching and developing clean energy. He also delayed the start of tax breaks to help parents with child care expenses.

"This is one of the hard choices that have to be made during tough economic times," Doyle's spokeswoman Carla Vigue of eliminating the renewable energy program. "The Legislature and the governor have to make hard cuts, including cuts to programs that the governor cares deeply about."